


Old Traditions, New Traditions

by Waltzing



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Magic Revealed, Mistletoe, Yule
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-15
Updated: 2008-12-15
Packaged: 2018-05-08 01:44:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5478695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waltzing/pseuds/Waltzing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin wants a proper Yuletide. Arthur wants Merlin. New traditions are invented.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Old Traditions, New Traditions

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to the merlinxarthur Livejournal comm, December 2008.

It was Merlin's first Yule at Camelot, and yet he could barely tell. In Ealdor, they danced in circles around the Solstice bonfires on the longest night, then placed candles in the branches of trees and decked the doorframes and corners of their homes with holly and mistletoe ready for Yule and the New Year. Well, the Solstice had passed with little acknowledgement in Camelot, and although the Yule log was burning in the fireplace of the Great Hall and the servants bustled around with last minute preparations for the evening's banquet, the chambers and corridors themselves were as stark and bare as winter itself.

It seemed to Merlin that the prohibition of magic in the Kingdom extended to the traditions that he was so used to, and Gwen, whispering, had confirmed this: Yuletide superstition was too closely linked to the old religion for comfort, at least as far as Uther was concerned. Feasting and the giving of gifts were deemed acceptable, but the pagan symbolism of decorating homes and trees was out of the question.

Over the course of Merlin's short life, he had been told many times that he was stupid, right up to Gaius's reprimand that morning, when Merlin had attempted to use his magic to make instant toast and had instead accidentally set the toasting fork on fire. Merlin had been particularly impressed by this, as the toasting fork was metal, but Gaius, strangely, had not. So when he'd mentioned to Gwen that Yuletide would at least exist in his quarters, if nowhere else in Camelot, her blurted response questioning his intelligence hadn't phased Merlin, even if it had embarrassed Gwen enough for her to attempt to take it back: "not that I think you _are_ stupid...just that it would be... _unintelligent_ to try something like that in Uther's own domain..." She left, flustered, excusing herself to go and help Morgana dress for the banquet.

When Merlin arrived in the Physician's quarters with an armful of foliage, as well as a fair few scratches, Gaius, who was passing him on his way out the door, had expressly forbidden him from hanging "those weeds" anywhere in his vicinity, so, shrugging, Merlin had taken them into his own room, reasoning that Gaius tended to avoid his bedroom at all costs, because he said its untidiness drove him to despair, and it was even less likely that the King himself would ever enter his room to find him breaking the law. Twenty minutes and several more scratches to his hands later, Merlin stood back to admire his handiwork. His room looked more like a forest glade than a bed chamber. Only some of the greenery had been fixed in place by magic, the rest had been (ingeniously as Merlin liked to think), entwined with each other to form a festive canopy. He had also affixed a few ribbons and bows that he'd found in the back of a drawer, for good measure. It wasn't nearly as neat as his mother's decorating, but still, for the first time, he began to feel a little homesick.

He was abruptly woken from his thoughts by a loud knock at the door, followed by a familiar voice: "I shouldn't have to come in search of _you_ , Merlin. You should be looking for _me_ right now, not the other way round." Some more muttering and knocking, then, louder: "In fact, I've decided, you shouldn't leave my side _at all_ from now on, in case I need you."

_Dammit_. In the desire to inject a bit of festive cheer into his plain quarters, he'd forgotten he was meant to be waiting on Arthur this evening. Merlin heard the unlocked door being opened and turned round just in time to watch Arthur practically fall through it, before scrambling upright and attempting to assume a more dignified bearing, as befitted the crown prince of Camelot. Merlin hurriedly left his room, shutting the door behind him, but not before Arthur had caught a glimpse of it.

"What the- Have you gone even more insane than usual, or did one of Gaius's experiments go horribly wrong? It looks like you've brought half the forest into your room."

"Um, nothing for you to worry about…sire." He tried to change the subject, "Er, shouldn't you be at the feast?"

"I've left them – they're all either drunk or boring, and you know I can't stand boring people. Anyway it's not half as fun without you there in a ridiculous outfit serving me wine on demand."

"To be honest, I don't think you needed me there anyway, you look pretty far gone already." Arthur's circlet was more than slightly wonky and he had a wine stain down the front of his shirt.

"I'm not drunk if that's what you're implying…well okay, maybe a little tipsy, but that's all." Arthur's explanation would have been more convincing were it not for him pronouncing tipsy 'tipshee'. "Anyway, what in god's name have you done to your room?"

"Nothing". Merlin had forgotten how persistent Arthur could be.

"Let me see," he said in his most imperious tones, which worked on his other subjects but did nothing to Merlin. Then again, it might have been more effective if Arthur hadn't been slurring as he spoke. Realising that Arthur was not to be sidetracked and deciding that that arguing would only make him even more suspicious, Merlin reluctantly opened his bedroom door. Hopefully Arthur wouldn't even understand the significance of the decorations and just chalk it up to Merlin being strange yet again. However, just in case, Merlin tried to think of some worthy excuses that wouldn't link him to superstition or the old religion ("yes Arthur, holly berries are in fact medicinal, and need to be kept at elevated heights to work their best", "I brought it all in for kindling, but it kind of... exploded", "They're weeds. They just started growing…from the ceiling…") but each excuse was even more unlikely than its predecessor. In the end he just stood back, wordlessly, awaiting Arthur's judgement.

Arthur turned to him with a puzzled expression. "It all looks very... _pretty_ Merlin, but what is it for exactly? Just another one of your madcap ideas, no doubt?"

"It's…"Merlin considered how best to explain the décor without a hint of superstition or magic. This was particularly hard, as it was said in his old village that the mistletoe in particular was sacred to the druids and courted luck for the occupants of the house it was brought into. The druids weren't as feared in Ealdor as they were in Uther's realm. "It's something we used to do in my home village. At Yuletide, we'd decorate our homes with holly and mistletoe."

"Why?"

Merlin caught himself almost feeling sorry for Arthur. He may have been a prince, but there was a lot he had missed out on due to his father's paranoia. "Because…it looks nice." Arthur raised an eyebrow. "And it reminds me of home."

"You don't think of Camelot as your home?

Merlin didn't answer. It wasn't his home. Not when he lived in fear and secrecy and couldn't risk showing his true colours on pain of death. No, not home. Not yet.

"But why these particular plants?" Arthur indicated the holly and mistletoe. "And why just for Yule and not all year round if it looks so 'nice'?" Merlin was about to answer, but stopped himself at the last moment. Arthur noticing this, continued. "Come on, you know you can tell me. I'm not going to run off to my father or anything." Merlin studied Arthur's face, and taking him at his word, decided just to explain. At least that would stop Arthur from thinking he was acting strangely. Or at least, more strangely than usual.

"Well, you see, they're traditional." He indicated a branch of holly in one corner of his room: "The red berries are meant to bring strength and good health to the household." He then indicated the sprig above Arthur's head. "And the mistletoe bestows good luck for the coming year."

"Really?" Merlin was surprised to find that Arthur actually sounded interested. "I've never heard that before."

"No, well you wouldn't have." At Arthur's questioning look, Merlin continued, "These two plants are associated with the old religion. Some say the mistletoe is considered lucky because it was originally favoured by the druids. It was a sacred plant to them and they cut it by moonlight on the Solstice with a silver blade." Merlin realised he was rambling, although the nerves were beginning to fade as it became clear Arthur had no intention of reporting him for any wrongdoing. "I doubt your father would take too kindly to any of this. Too closely linked to…"

"To magic." Arthur finished for him. "I can see why you'd keep all this a secret". Arthur was looking at him strangely. Maybe it was the lack of sarcasm and condescension that made his expression seem odd to Merlin. "Well Merlin", Arthur finally said. "I never knew you were so knowledgeable."

"I suppose you think I should take it all down?" Merlin asked miserably. He'd been hoping to keep at least some reminder of home and festive cheer, but if Arthur said it had to go, well it had to go.

Arthur surprised him again "I don't know about that. I mean, it's not the decorations themselves that are, well, offensive in my father's eyes. It's the superstitions related to them." He glanced at Merlin from the corner of his eye.

Merlin couldn't see where he was going with this but decided to play along anyway. It wasn't often Arthur was in such a good mood. "Go on…"

"Well, how about we invent new traditions for them? Ones unrelated to, to magic. Or druids."

Merlin was amused. "You can't just invent traditions. That's the whole point. They're handed down from one generation to the next."

Arthur propped himself up against doorframe and crossed his arms. "I can", he said almost petulantly. "I'll be king one day and then no one will be able to tell me I can't invent traditions. And we need something more appropriate for these... _oppressive_ times. In any case", he continued, "All this covering up won't be necessary when I'm king, because druids and magic will no longer be forbidden."

"What? You're serious?"

Arthur nodded "You have my word." He was looking at him strangely again and Merlin didn't know what to say, although his chest felt ready to burst with joy. When Arthur became king, there would be no more hiding. No more fear. He was suddenly truly proud of his prince. Arthur took Merlin's stunned silence as a sign to elaborate: "You see it's the fear and oppression that drives magical people into doing terrible things. People rebel if they're persecuted and naturally want revenge for the harm done to them and their loved ones. What my father doesn't understand is that he has created his own enemies in warlocks and witches. None of the trouble he's had from them would have occurred if their talents had been freely embraced and accepted by the kingdom. But, until that day arrives, I suppose things will just continue the way they are. Unfortunately. And, that means traditions like this" He indicated the greenery "sadly just _aren't_ acceptable." He was grinning again now, all seriousness apparently set aside.

"Alright then", said Merlin, humouring him, "Let's hear your replacement, non-druidical, non-magical traditions. Please tell me it doesn't involve anything alcoholic. I think you've had enough for tonight."

"Alright, nothing alcohol-related. Duly noted." Arthur, leaning against the doorframe, pretended to consider Merlin's request. "Okay, I've got it! Come here." He beckoned Merlin closer as if about to whisper a great secret. Amused, Merlin leant in, and was surprised when Arthur suddenly swooped and kissed Merlin on the lips. It lasted more than a few seconds, in which time Merlin registered several things, including that Arthur hadn't shaved that morning, that from the sweet honey-taste the last thing Arthur had been drinking was mead, and then "oh god, I'm kissing the crown prince and that's, that's Arthur's _tongue_ ".

And then Arthur was pulling away, a bright grin on his face. "So what do you think of my new tradition?" He looked up at the white berries hanging from the doorframe above.

Merlin finally remembered to breathe. "I don't know, Arthur" he smiled at him. "That still seemed like magic to me."

Arthur leaned in again. "Well I s'pose you'd be the one to know", he breathed against Merlin's ear, then kissed him again.


End file.
